For those interested: Newswise Education News | Loyola University Chicago Introduces Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) will introduce a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program for advanced practice nursing students in the fall semester of 2009.

"Loyola University Chicago recognized the need to create a program that fosters advanced education and prepares our students for the growing demands of this profession," said Mary Klotz Walker, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and professor, Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. "DNP graduates will be highly educated and equipped with skills to embrace new challenges at the patient bedside and beyond."

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) proposed this program in 2004. The intent was to develop a viable alternative to the research–focused PhD as a terminal degree in nursing and offer a practice-centered doctorate. The organization mandated that all new advanced practice nurse graduates (APNs) must graduate with a DNP degree after 2015. Current APNs will be grandfathered in and will not need a DNP to continue their practice. After 2015, the master of science in nursing (MSN), which has been the standard for approximately 50 years, will no longer be accepted for nurses applying for national certification as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives.

"Nurses increasingly are asked to be nimble as new issues emerge in our ever evolving health care system," said Dean Walker. "This program will allow our graduates to pursue aspects of nursing consistent with their practice disciplines."

While PhD nursing programs focus on research, DNP programs will prepare students for the highest level of nursing practice. This includes proficiencies in areas that support clinical practice, such as administration, organizational management and policy. DNP graduates also will be competent in assessing evidence, translating research and implementing practical clinical innovations to change care.

The Niehoff School of Nursing continues to be a leader in APN education across the nation with approximately 45 to 50 APN graduates each year.

The first class of 25 post-MSN students will begin the DNP program this fall. The program will consist of a blend of online learning and immersion days at Loyola University Health System. A gradual transition of all MSN majors to the DNP program will occur over the next four years, and the majority of MNSON’s MSN programs will be replaced with the DNP by 2014.

For more information, please visit http://www.luc.edu/nursing/index.shtml.

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing was founded in 1935 as the first baccalaureate nursing program in Illinois. Today, the School is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Top-rated nursing programs are offered at all levels along with programs for dietetics and health systems management. In addition to academic programs, the School is home to the Center for Ethics in Nursing, the Center for Spiritual Leadership in Health Care, and the Center for Nursing Research. The School is part of Loyola University Chicago, ranked one of the country's top national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In concert with Loyola's Jesuit heritage, the School of Nursing stresses excellence in teaching, research, service and practice.